South African President Cyril Ramaphosa made an unannounced visit to Zimbabwe, during which he met Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and some of his key allies, ZimLive reported on May 4. This comes amid escalating tensions in Zimbabwe surrounding the advancement of constitutional reforms by parts of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front party that would extend Mnangagwa's term to 2030, a move that has faced veiled criticism from Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.

Zimbabwe's Parliament is now considering a constitutional amendment that would extend the term of lawmakers and of the president by two years with immediate effect, as well as consolidate presidential control over elections, the judiciary and traditional leaders. In an address to a church gathering on April 25, Chiwenga invoked the story of King Hezekiah, a biblical figure who was granted an additional 15 years of life that eventually resulted in the downfall of his kingdom, noting that "extra years are not always a blessing." Although Chiwenga did not directly name Mnangagwa, the reference has been widely seen as criticism of the proposed constitutional reforms.